The Names of God Part 6

Jehovah-Rophe,

The LORD Who Heals

Exodus 15:22-27

2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Exodus 15:22-26

Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea,

and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They

went three days in the wilderness and found no

water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could

not drink the water of Marah because it was

bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the

people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What

shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the LORD, and

the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into

the water, and the water became sweet.

Exodus 15:22-26, cont

There the LORD made for them a statute and a

rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you

will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD

your God, and do that which is right in his eyes,

and give ear to his commandments and keep all

his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on

you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the

LORD, your healer.”

The meaning of the name:

Yahweh-Rophe depicts God as the Lord

who redeems us from the effects of sin

and brings life, wholeness, and salvation

to us

The Biblical View of Healing

Wholistic world view – not compartmentalized

Pre-scientific – but not ignorant. They had no class of physicians but were proactive in treating sicknesses.

Rural – farm animals – common sicknesses were skin infections

Sickness meant an absence of wholeness

Healing meant wholeness – Rapa and Rophe in Hebrew

Healing in the Old Testament

Diseases – Psalm 103:3, “Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.”

The earth, farm land – 2 Chron. 7:14, “And heal their land.” Aretz refers to the land, Aretz Israel.

The Salt Sea (Dead Sea) – Ezek. 47:8, “The waters there become fresh.” Rapha is used.

The broken-hearted – Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Preventive Healing – Exodus 15:25-26, “If you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD who heals you.”

Healing in the Old Testament

Spiritual Healing – Psa. 41:4, “Heal me, for I have sinned against you”;

Isaiah 6:10: “Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Also Isaiah1:5-6; 6:10; 30:26; 53:4-5; Jeremiah 3:22; 8:22; 30:12-17;

Hosea 6:1; 14:4, “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely.”

Heavenly Healing – Ezekiel 47:11-12:

Healing in the New Testament

Broad meaning – wholeness: Matthew 4:24, “People

brought to him all who were ill with various diseases,

those suffering severe pain, the demon possessed, those

having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.”

Spiritual problems – Mark 2:17, “It is not the healthy

who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call

the righteous, but sinners.”

Gifts of healing – 1 Corinthians 12:9

Heavenly healing – Revelation 22:2, “And the leaves of

the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will

there be any curse…”

In the wilderness…

Disappointment at Marah: after deliverance

from Egypt they experienced disappointment in

the Wilderness

Deliverance – healing: despite the bitterness of

the water, God made it sweet and drinkable

Identity – a new name of God was given:

Yahweh-Rophe or the LORD who heals.

1. The Disappointments of Life

Deliverance from

Egypt did not

prevent bitter

experiences in the

wilderness.

After salvation, how

do we get rid of the

bitterness of our

soul?

What do we do with our

disappointments?

The Blame Game – you, him, them?

The Spiritual Shopping Trip – trying to find a

better offer

Go back to Egypt? Forsaking Christ? Can we

return to our lost condition?

The Internalization of Bitterness – stiff upper lip

and a hard bitter heart

Is someone supposed to make us happy?

2. The Healing of the Waters

Moses cried out to

the LORD, in faith

A piece of wood,

an image of the

cross

When Christ is

brought into the

picture, God can

bring healing

Israel’s Deliverance and Healing

Israel

Deliverance from

enslavement in Egypt

Healing and provision in

the wilderness

wanderings

Final victory as they

entered the Promised

Land

Us today

Delivered from Sin at

Salvation

Wilderness Wanderings

depict the carnal

Christian life

Final Victory is the life of

surrender

Heb 4:3,9-11

3. A New Name was given

Moses and the nation of Israel had a new

understanding of God. He not only delivers but

He heals.

God is always relevant for our lives

The question is whether our lives are relevant to

the plans and purposes of God

How to receive God’s inner

healing

All God’s healing is mediated by Christ and

achieved by the cross. Sufficient grace is

available to cover the sins of the whole world.

Faith is required on our part.

Inner healing is the victory of God over our

hurts, our wounds, our fears, our worries.

Some healing experiences take time to be

completely received and experienced.

Healing through resting in Him

Healing of resting in Him: Matthew 11:28, “and

you will find rest for your souls.” Rest was one

of the main ways people were treated for

illnesses.

We can find soul rest and soul health through

ceasing to struggle to impress God or to earn

His love, and trust in His love for us and in His

salvation offered for us through grace.

Healing through holiness in our

lives

“…and give ear to his commandments and keep

all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on

you…”

1 Peter 3:10-11: “Whoever would love life and

see good days must keep their tongue from evil

and their lips from deceitful speech. They must

turn from evil and do good; they must seek

peace and pursue it.”

Healing through forgiving others

James 5:16: “Therefore confess your sins to each

other and pray for each other so that you may be

healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful

and effective.”

Forgive others, and ask for their forgiveness.

Confess your faults to others. Stubbornness in our

hearts causes soul sickness and often physical

sickness.

And Pray – the exercise of prayer is one of the most

helpful things we can do for our spiritual health.

Healing through giving

Luke 6:38: “Give and it shall be given unto

you.”

2 Corinthians 8:7: “Just as you excel in

everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in

complete earnestness and in your love for us –

see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”

2 Cor. 9:11: “You will be made rich in every way

so that you can be generous on every occasion.”

A lesson from John D…

World’s first Billionaire at 43

years of age!

At 53 years of age his health

was so bad he lived on crackers

and milk. He enjoyed nothing.

Ida Tarbell wrote, “He was the

oldest man I have ever seen.”

He changed his purpose in life

from getting to giving.

A lesson from John D

“Turn your thoughts upon the higher things of

life. Be of service to humanity. Turn your

thoughts into channels of usefulness; look

forward to a determination that something

useful shall come out of your success…Do

everything you can for the betterment of your

fellow-men and in doing this you will enjoy life

the better.”

He lived to be 97 years old.